No compromise on norms aimed to contain COVID-19
Role of DDCs, Directors, GMs, XEns cleared defined
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 17: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for start of select industrial, construction and other activities with effect from April 20, 2020. However, there will be no compromise on the social distancing norms so as to prevent spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Standard Operating Procedures have been laid down by the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction consequent upon Government of India’s decision dated April 15, 2020 to allow some select additional activities.
These SOPs have been notified by the Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, who is also Chairperson of State Executive Committee, while exercising powers conferred under Section 24 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
In the light of the consolidated guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs vide No.40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated April 15, the Government of J&K UT has decided to allow manufacturing of essential commodities, which include basic food processing activities, packed processed food items, pharmaceuticals, soaps, disinfectants and detergents, agro products, packaging material, cold storages, packaged drinking water and cotton masks.
However, it has been made clear that no industrial/manufacturing activity will be allowed in the Red Zone areas declared by the authorities concerned.
Similarly, the manufacturing activities which will be allowed on case to case basis and on the basis of requirement are units repairing transformers and parts thereof like HT, LT, Bush Rod, DPC Cooper and DPC Aluminium for power supply/distribution; units producing cardboard/wooden boxes for fruit packing; industries operating in rural areas; brick kilns outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities and production units which require continuous process and their supply chain.
The Government will also allow manufacturing activities within the industrial estates for units where arrangements for stay of workers within the premises and or adjacent building is made; manufacturing of medical/health infrastructure items including raw material and intermediates; fabrication units for sanitization/fumigation tunnels and projects like development/construction and other works of industrial estates.
Print and Electronic Media, IT and IT enabled services with strength up to 50%, data and call centres for Government activities, Government approved Common Service Centres, e-commerce companies, courier services, cold storage and warehousing services including at airports, railway stations and other links in the logistic chain, private security services and facilities for maintenance and upkeep of office and residential complexes, hotels/home stays/lodges/motels for accommodating persons stranded due to lockdown, medical and emergency staff will also be allowed.
However, all these manufacturing and services units will be allowed provided efforts will be made at minimizing the commuting, sanitization of high quality of premises and health and hygiene of high stand and social distancing are ensured.
Similarly, manufacturing and services units will have to ensure work from home for persons above 65 years of age and persons with co-morbidities and mandatory medical insurance for the workers. Moreover, works will not be allowed from Red Zones and colonies/basties where COVID-19 cases are suspected.
“Weekly inspections will be carried out by the teams of Functional Managers and Industry Promotion Managers to be constituted by the General Manager DICs and Directors of Industry and Commerce will supervise and ensure complete compliance”, reads the order.
About the procedure to be followed for operationalization of the units allowed, the Government order said that units falling in the category of essential supplies production/services as permitted shall apply to General Manager DICs with details of workers and production line to be started. They shall also indicate requirement of vehicles and manpower movement passes.
After verification of details the GM DICs will forward request to the Director Industries, who will issue orders for permission to operate the units. Units holders will not approach the Deputy Commissioner office directly and they will approach GM DICs of respective districts to get passes for vehicles and individuals who have to essentially commute for running the units.
“Any unit if found violating the requirements/compliances will be liable for strict action and permission to operate the unit shall be withdrawn”, read the order.
As far as construction activities are concerned, the concerned Executive Engineers will identify the works to be resumed during the lockdown period and a list of such projects/works along with the machinery/equipment and the manpower shall be shared with the concerned District Magistrates for grant of permission and issuance of passes.
However, all the district and field level authorities would ensure maintenance of social distancing, use of protective face covers/masks and repeated washing of hands with soap and water themselves and by workers.
In construction projects within the municipal limits, the workers will have to stay at the construction site while as in rural areas the work force will have to stay in areas adjoining the construction sites to avoid huge scale daily movement of labourers.
“All the construction departments/agencies shall adopt the Standard Operating Procedure for social distancing as well as sanitization adhering to the instruction issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of J&K and District Magistrates from time to time”, read the order.
As far as select activities in the rural areas are concerned, the District Development Commissioners will allow MGNREGA activities in areas outside Containment Zones. At Block/Gram Panchayat level, nodal officers will be nominated by the concerned DDC for receiving demands from MGNREGA workers through SMS/WhatsApp/Phone.
The DDCs will provide duty passes to field functionaries on need basis for implementation of MGNREGA and priority will be given to irrigation and water conservation works as permissible under MGNREGA.
“The focus of MGNREGA will be on individual oriented works which directly benefit SC/ST/Women headed households as well as small and marginal farmers and other poor households ensuring adherence to 60:40 labour/material ratio as mandated under MGNREGA”, the Government said, adding “all district and field level authorities would ensure maintenance of social distancing, use of protective gears and repeated washing of hands with soap and water themselves and by MGNREGA workers.
“If any new area is included in the category of Containment Zones then MGNREGA activities allowed in that area will be immediately suspended”, the order read.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
